The burnout factor

The City of Rochester has committed the millions of dollars needed to maintain its "zero tolerance" initiative. Now the question becomes whether officers can maintain the pace of 10-12 hour shifts for 6-7 days a week.

Privately, officers concede the money is great, but that there comes a time when family considerations make working such hours on a long term basis unbearable.

Rochester Police Chief David Moore is sympathetic. Moore tells News 8 Now that while the "burnout" factor hasn't reared its head yet, his command staff is very aware that it could if the initiative is to continue.

"We tell them to communicate with officers constantly, and to be watching for signs of that," he said. "If there is an indication that there's a problem as far as how many hours they are working then we are very willing to adjust to change that situation."

Meantime,  the head of the police officers union, whom one might expect to be the first to beat the drum about overworking Rochester's finest had what one might consider a surprising response to the question. 

"I don't know if this is popular for me to say, but, that just too bad," said Locust Club President Ron Evangelista. "We need to go to work and we need to suck it up and get the job done."

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